


The Endless Battle

by Whenhopediesyoung



Series: Children of Eve [1]
Category: Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Alternate Universe, BAMF Lucy, Battle, Cannon Divergence, Eventual Smut, Fairy Tale Elements, Forgiveness, Gen, Immortality, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2018-04-10
Packaged: 2018-09-14 16:59:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9194909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whenhopediesyoung/pseuds/Whenhopediesyoung
Summary: The white witch decided she wanted more then a slave, she wanted a scion. And so she breathed winter out into the lugs of her prisoner, and turned his blood to ice. A monstrous legacy was born. Or so Caspian was always told, however for a monster the white prince seemed... more irate and hungry then anything.





	1. Starving boys

**Author's Note:**

> AU where instead of trading Edmund for Aslan Jadis made Edmund like herself. So starting a savage cycle of brutal battles against the siblings for the fate of the land. Every four years the immortal warriors must face off deciding how fierce the next deep freeze will be. Between this time the three championing Aslan will sleep leaving for their brother the realms where winter never ends. Scraps he can struggle to survive in until the next fight.

Prince Caspian is nine years old when he meets the White Prince. When last he fought, four years prior, the young boy had been safe inside oblivious. In the time before the next battle he was educated on Narnia's beliefs. Including the one proven true, said White Prince's myth. Or rather, The Story of the Seasons, as it was called.

He was old enough to know being out at this time was very bad. That the White Witch had gifted her slave with powerful magic. Freezing his flesh and blood in return for great strength. She gave him dominion with her final breath. But the magic turned him cold leaving a cruel husk behind. As it had Jadis. Leaving only a selfish monster to carry on her evil work.

Scared and cold Caspian huddles under the bare warmth of a leafless tree. It has turned white under the insistent touch of winter. His dark eyes scan restlessly forthe creature. "Who are you!" Caspian leaps at the harsh exclamation. A reaction that makes the steely eyes regarding him soften, for a second. "I asked you a question. You're trespassing."

This is, in fact a lie, but Caspian knows better then to correct his elders. Though the boy glaring fiercely at him is not old enough for even a beard. His hair is black, slick with dark icy water which drips into his eyes from his bangs. They are cold eyes, chilling in their razor focus. Pail skin and blue lips say he is cold; but Caspian is not trembling enough to believe he only looks perfectly still.

"I'm hungry." Caspian had hoped to comeoff lordly but he can hear desperation. "So am I." Grumbles the other male slouching carefully near by. Abruptly he perks up, droplets of water flung into the air byhis movement. "I lost the battle so I cannot eat unless food is offered to me." Hesitation colors his face.

"I welcome you to eat, if you can find anything." He valiantly manages not to comand the stranger to share. Rewarded with a sharp nod the wet man rises with a groan. He certainly looks wounded, dark blue and green bruises blooming on his sharp jaw. "My name is Edmund by the way, I don't think I mentioned that." He- Edmund bites out rapidly. He's tense as if awaiting a blow.

Caspian knows why, Edmund is a cursed word. No one would ever give a child that name. Which means..."Oh." His legs feel numb, as knowledge surfaces. The White Prince, his book read, was once a boy like many boys named Edmund. But this young man looks beaten, and frankly rather scared. A thin tremble, which Caspian is certain has nothing to do with the cold, racks his form.

He looks... fearful, exhausted, at the edge of tears truthfully. Caspian thinks he must always be cold. Privately he muses that his looks like his uncle's servants. That, more then anything else, decides it. "How can you find cold out here anyway?" Belatedly he takes on a 'nice to meet you'. It is Edmund's turn to size him up.

"You're not running away are you?" Each word is slow deliberate and oddly shaped. With a shiver Caspian wonders if his tongue moves sluggishly. "No my I was sent out because I got in the way." Here he pauses looking hopefully at Edmund. Surely he would be able to find shelter from the cold. The scowl is back, directed at Caspian's home which is further then he remembered.

With a chill he recalls rumors of how the cold would seep into ones bones make them feel welcome before taking their life. It had always seemed particularly cruel to Caspian. All the same... "Could you possibly teach me to get some food too?" He is being ignored as Edmund mulls something over. "Do they know what year it is, that this is my winter?" His words are abrupt now, a sharp surprise as unwelcome as hail.

"Yes." He does not get an opportunity to add more, stomach rumbling. Edmund looks angry now, but not as he was depicted in the story. He looks frustrated and in pain and unhappy not filled with murderous hatred. "Can I ask you a question?" Caspian inquires suddenly filled with a hunger greater then mere his desire to eat.

Edmund glares at him body tensing at once. He looks like a deer, ready to sprint off into the beyond without a second thought. "Not if you want me to get you something to eat." Well, his desire to know Edmund is not that much stronger than his hunger. "Will you help me find a place to sleep too?" Edmund's face does a funny spasm at that. "Sure, but you'll have to do a lot of the work, I don't have much strength."

Caspian's company proves sullen and resentful but a great teacher. He explains the purpose of each step because "I could never stand being told what to do but not why". Caspian sleeps well, full and content far from Edmund.

"My body radiates... erm that is-"

"I know what radiates means!"

"Cold, so sleeping by me is a bad idea. As is asking a stranger out in the dead of winter for help, you're going to get hurt."

He wakes up alone, but for a wreath of winter branches left near his head.


	2. A crown of red tears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so as far as set up goes I'm giving each of the siblings a chapter to start off as first winter then backwards from there. Without furthur ado, Lucy's chapter! In between each sibling chapter will be another Edmund Caspian chapter.

Lucy Pensive had not aged as much as was to be expected considering the years she spent in Narnia. Physically that is. The gentle sorrow in her eyes spoke of years spent enduring savage winters... and bitter summers. As the white witch changed Edmund so too was she and her siblings transformed by Narnia. Only Lucy the youngest and with the most flexible mind could see the slow differences overtaking them. A unwilling witness to the death of the children of Adam. A slient one.  
"The time approaches your majesty." Glancing down in surprise Lucy smiles warmly at the grim faced mouse. "It's good to see you again my dear friend even if you bear such tidings." She worries her lower lip, contemplating informing her subject that she always knew when the battle drew close. Winter's coming always left a bitter taste in the air reminiscent of the smell given off by frost bitten limbs that first summer long ago. How hopeful they'd been then.  
Lost in her thoughts, blinded by heart break she failed to notice her subject's adoring expression. Lucy was the favorite better then blinding summers or stunning springs. She brought a well needed tranquility, a time of deep thoughts on serious subjects her people found refreshing. They would be less then pleased to realize how much of that time she willed away thinking of Edmund. Lucy was the fragile special time that drew families closer together, the time that once proceeded winter as she had proceeded her brother into Narnia. Dying leaves rested at peace in her hair tenderly cradled by her shiny locks. Strands of gold shot through the auburn plaits as bright as her easy smile. She was easy to love.  
"Though-" Lucy cut across both their train of thoughts. "You know I would rather you not call me that." Even as she frowned as close to stern as possible the mouse straightened indignantly. "You are our queen!" He retorted stubbornly, as unbeknownst to him his great uncle had before. He regrets his quick reply as she gazes out into the distance brown eyes mournful. "I can feel the change more then the air. A wrath fills me as my brother begins his trek, as his cold fingers caress my plants." A tear, slids down her cheek touching on golden freckles. "I just want him to stop."  
Later she will be crying in summers arms (because he's not Peter not right after fighting Edmund) as Susan strokes her hair. Later she will be bitterly disappointed in the knowledge- secured some years back- that the cordial will hurt not heal her wayward brother. Lucy will treat their physical wounds and wonder if the deeper ones will ever stop bleeding. And Edmund will almost collapse near a castle only to see a young boy about and wait to determine him not a threat. That night the summer will start again to the elation of the Narnians. Peter will brood on being an occupied state. And slowly so slowly that it will be almost unnoticeable the wheels of change will began to turn.  
It occurs to the mouse as he is traveling from Lucy's graceful and slender castle to tell her siblings the news (here he conveniently fails to recognise Edmund as her brother, an impossibility in her presense) that she is waiting. Always waiting for winter. For her brother to tell the truth about the wardrobe. For him to come help save the animals from Jadis. For him to come back, without violence or a bitter cold in his bones. Maybe even just for him to come back at all. The last he reflects sadly is the least likely scenario, and likely the one she desires most fiercely.


	3. A warm sort of chill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To Caspian, this winter almost feels like spring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be completing this story I swear. I'm sorry for the wait and come bearing an awkward Casmund exchange

 Caspian's blood is racing. Try as he might to remind himself there were no guarantees he is already scanning the forest for a lanky form. The sun has yet to set is instead casting lengthy shadows about bare trees. It's pretty in a desolate sort of way which ill-suites Edmund's demeanor.  _Edmund_. He'd said it or thought it at least and the name itself is enough to send a thrill of anticipation through him. Around him his Uncle's guards exchange uneasy looks. Touched by winter they seem to say, or madness going smiling to his doom. The head guard's man shrugs.

"Worse ways to go." He says simply knowing even as the others cringe that Caspian has no ears for him. "Laughing I mean." He adds half to clarify and half to see them since again. Young Caspian leaves his hands lax on the reins focused on happy thoughts of what- he hopes- is to come. His Uncle will have the guards take his steed regardless before he is left alone.

The smiles flies off his face with little warning causing his guards, relaxed for the first time in hours, to flinch simultaneously. A horse nickers nervously. "You'll be telling my Unc- the King that I cried the whole way here right? His voice is tense with worry, but it's the words themselves that spark a new round of alarmed suspicious glances. One of the more superstitious soldiers speaks up. "I was always good to you wasn't I, never went out of my way to be cruel." His words plant a seed of alarm provoke darting glances at the trees. In the back of their minds old voices mutter 'just in case'.

"We tell him you were bawling boy don't you worry. That hard work won't go to waste." Says their leader. He doesn't understand why this matters but it calms down both sides. Keeping a secret is easy and the Prince appears contented with his 'punishment'. With a bewildered head shake he wheels his steed about. A glance at the sky sends a shiver down his spine. The moon looks blanched and ghastly. "We'll take our leave now." Guilt nags him increased by the boy's beaming grin. He may not be all there but the kid had a good brave heart. With a little luck, the wolves wouldn't eat it.

The cold is different this night. Less nothing without a savage wind to encourage it. Caspian worries for a moment about Edmund. Wonders if it was better colder or just chilly, if the difference pained him. Surely he must feel it, or else why would he only be seen at winter?  In the back of his mind a spiteful voice speaks of glaring differences. It sounds like his Uncles'.

"You're happy to be here." His voice sharp as cracking ice has Caspian twirling around. Though not damp this time his hair still looks slick. Unbidden Caspian thinks that were one to attempt to draw their hand cross the tips they might get cut. The thought makes his face grow warm for some reason. Edmund's scowl makes him feel light on his feet for the first time in ages. Swiftly he turns toward the cracked tree behind him reaching in. "Here I ah- this is for you." He trips over his tongue but thankfully not over his feet. 

Edmund's icy eyes take in the curved blade without comment. "It's just you saved my life and you, I owe you. Plus the battle's pretty hard, so I figured this would help. His voice is a shamed whisper by the end, the tightening of Edmund's expression alerting him to the fact that he'd made a mistake. To his horror Caspian can feel tears stinging his eyes. Which is cruel to Edmund because he was the one offended, so why would Caspian be crying? His eyes fix on the ground as he berates himself.  _Stupid stupid, you and Edmund aren't even friends he feels sorry for you_. "Hey, no, wait. I appreciate it, I just feel, I won today and that's worse." Edmund sounds panicked and glancing up confirms it. Caspian can't help but laugh.

"Yeah really funny." The grumble is good natured which is... A first really. He looks different without a angry expression. Caspian feels his face go red at the thought. Before he can dwell on it though Edmund drops to the ground. The indifference to proper seating behavior would be funny were it not for his expression. Caspian pretends he can't see Edmund blink back tears. Sitting carefully he sets the sword aside. He doesn't know what to say which leaves what he wanted to hear when he's sad. "What's wrong?"

Edmund sniffles. "I hurt Lucy today." A pause where Caspian nods solemnly even though he's not looking. He carefully puts a hand over Edmund's long fingered ones. They'r cold but a warm sort of cold, as if they just need to be held close for a while. Without warning the had twists around fingers twining with Caspian's. He suspects Edmund hasn't held hands for a long time, the angle seems to hurt his wrist.

They sit like that in silence for a long time. Until "Here." Edmund doesn't look at him as he drags his free fingers through the air. It sparkles until he's holding a white jacket in his hand. "I won today so we don't have to scavenge for food either." He looks guilty. It's not what Caspian had imagined between lessons. Edmund is surprisingly soft, like snow under his hard exterior. It makes Caspian grin.

"What?" Edmund says grinning back. And that, that is bright enough to make Caspian forget his own name. "Will you show me how to scavenge or food anyway, for when Lucy wins next time?" At that he laughs quiet as a puff of breath. It's so much better then he could have imagined. "Yeah sure. Better Lucy then Peter anyway, he's the worst kind of winner."

Later, when he wakes up under a white coat with strange brass buttonsthe sword will be gone. And wreath will be close enough to touch.


End file.
